Fence-wire tightener and stretcher



I a. COWLEY FENCE WIRE IIGHTENER AND STRETCHER "Jan. 17, 1928.

- iled Oct. 8, 1926 Inventor eorye 6 0x016 Attorney Patented Jan. 17, 1928.

v 1,656,319 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE COWLEY, OF RIO, WISCONSIN.

FENCEWIRE TIGHTENER AND STRETCHER.

Application filed October 8, ,1926. Serial Ito/140,312.

The present invention appertains to a new and useful deviccuscd more particularly for repairing wire fences. 7

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which will grip two terminals of wires in firm actuation and draw the same together so that they may be united. I

Among the other aims and objects of this invention may be cited the provision of a device of the character described with a view to compactness and convenience and in which the number of parts are few, the construction simple and the cost of production low.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus embodying the features of my in vention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view showing one lever associated with one bar,

Fig. 3 is afsectional view taken substantially on the line 33of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4. is a detail perspective of the other lever,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modification.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that A denotes one of the L-shaped bars and B the other of said L-shaped bars. The bar A includes the long arm 5 which has ratchets on its upper edge 6 and the depending short arm '7 on which is pivotally mounted a clamp member 8 having a shoulder 9. A pivoted. clamp element 10 is mounted on the clamp element 8 and has an arcuate cam face provided with teeth as is indicated at 11. The bar B includes the long arm 12 havin on its loweredge ratchet teeth 14 and a depending shortarm 15 on which is pivoted another member 8 having associated therewith another member .10. The ends of the wires are adapted to be engaged in the clamp structures at the lower terminals of the short arms 7 and 15 as is clearly shown in Figure 1. The bars A have attached thereto a chain and hook structure 17 so that this bar A may be anchored to a post or the like.

A sleeve 18 is slidable on the long arm 5 and has pivotally mounted thereon a lever 19 the lower end of which is pivotally engaged with the extremity of the long arm 12. A dog 20 is pivoted to the lever 19 for engagement with theratchets 6. A second lever 21 is bifurcated andstraddles the bar 5 and is pivoted thereto as at 22 and between its extremities at its bifurcations is provided with a cross element 23 for engagement with the ratchet teeth let which may be swung to the dotted line position for releasing the device. A spring 25 is engaged with the lever 21. and with the long arm 5 for normally holding the lever 21 in the full line position shown in Fig. 1, that is, with the cross element 23 engaged with the ratchet teeth 14.

It will be seen that by oscillating the lever 19, the pawl and ratchet structures described will cause a step-by-step movement of the short arms 7 and 15 towards each other for bringing the ends of the wires together so that they may be tied or otherwise secured together.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification of the lever 19 wherein a pawl 20 is rigidly attached thereto as is indicated at 27 for engagement with the ratchet 6. In this embodiment no sleeve 18 isused.

From the foregoing, it will, be readily ap parent that I have provided an efficient and substantial device of the character described and while this specification manifests in dotail the preferred constructions of the invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the specific details of construction and arrangement of parts herein described and illustrated, as it is manifest that variations and modifications may be re sorted to in the features of construction and in the arrangement of parts in the adaptation of the device to various conditions of use without'doparting from the spirit and iii) of the lower long, arm, and a sprint useoeieted with the second lever normally hold- 10 ing it in a position so that its cross member engages the ratchet teeth of said lower long arm.

In testimony whereof: I allix my signature.

GEORGE COWLEY. 

